Broadway! 5 Books For Theatre Nerds

I have a confession to make. I’m an extreme theatre nerd. That’s right, I can sing the entirety of RENT, Wicked, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Newsies, and a handful of other musicals, and I have no shame about it. The fact is, theatre has been a part of the majority of my life, and since that’s the case, I’ve always been attracted to books that have to do with musical theatre. So aside from giving you a few original cast recordings you should probably check out, I thought I’d also give you a list of books. You’re welcome!

If you wanna laugh and learn a little bit more about one of Broadway’s leading ladies, dig into this memoir. Kristin Chenoweth is just as funny in writing as you think she’d be, and even though A Little Bit Wicked is a touch on the frilly side, it’s still a good read. You get the inside scoop on Wicked, Kristin’s TV shows, and what it was like being in beauty pageants when she was younger. Plus, with Chenoweth’s new album, The Art of Elegance (so good) just released, and her return to Broadway in November for her, My Love Letter to Broadway concert, there’s no better time than now to pick this one up.

This book is ridiculous in all the best ways. It’s primarily a story about a rock star obsessed girl who ends up kidnapping a rock star on accident, and locking him in her garage. I know, sounds crazy right? But why this book makes it on the list is because Jody’s (the kidnapper mentioned above) best male friend Mac is a huge drama nerd. It’s his calling, his passion, and the reason why Jody has never thought of him as anything other than her BFF. This one has a crazy premise, and a lot of Rocky Horror Picture Show references!

This book not only has drama, it also has travel, and shenanigans. Jesse’s drama club takes a trip to Italy, but the problem is she caught her boyfriend with another girl in the costume barn three days before they left. If you like watching a bunch a drama kids navigating life and all of its issues in only the way a drama kid can, you’ll love this book.

This one is on the younger side, but that being said, Suite Scarlett is adorable. It’s about a girl whose family owns and lives in a historic hotel in NYC. When each person in their family turns 15, they get their own suite to take care. Scarlett’s happens to be inhabited by a semi-famous actress (at least back in the day). And then she meets a dreamy actor herself, who she starts falling for. Things get really funny, and if you need a giggle, give this one a read.

Another Broadway infused memoir, Anthony Rapp’s book, Without You, tells the tale of his life before, once, and after he was cast as Mark Cohan in RENT. People who know the backstory of the creation of RENT will love this one, and people who don’t will learn a lot. It tells about the sudden loss of the musical’s creator Jonathan Larson, just days before RENT opened, and what it was like when RENT jumped into the fame it still lives in. If you’re a Broadway fan, reach for this one.